Phys.

506

Electricity and Magnetism

Prof. G. Raithel
Problem Set 8
Total 40 Points

Winter 2004

1. Problem 11.13

10 Points

0 -axis of its rest frame K 0 . Then, in K 0

a): A line charge with linear density q0 is placed on the z
B0 = 0

and E0 =

2q0 0

In SI units, E0 = 2q00 0 0 . The fields in K are obtained from the inverse of Eqns. 11.149 of Jackson with
vc . The inverse of Eqs. 11.149 is obtained by flipping the signs of all linear occurrences of and
= vc = z
swapping primed and unprimed field variables,
2
( E0 )
+1
2
( B0 )
B = (B0 + E0 )
+1
E = (E0 B0 )

In the present case, the boost is in the z-direction. Since the directions transverse to the boost dont
undergo length contraction, at event coordinates (ct0 , x0 ) in K 0 and (ct, x) in K related through the Lorentz
transformation the unit vectors 0 and 0 in K 0 and the unit vectors and in K are identical. The same
applies to the transverse coordinates, i.e. 0 = and 0 = . Thus,
E =
B

2q0 0
2q0
=

2q0 v
2vq0
2q0 v
(
z 0 ) =
(
z ) =

0 c
c
c

E0 =

b): In K 0 : The volume charge density 0 (x0 ) in K 0 is

0 (0 ) =

q0 (0 )
0

because the transverse integral

Z

1
( )2 d =
2
0 =0
0

0 =

0 q0 (0 )
2d0 = q0
0

as required. The current in K 0 is zero. Thus, the four-current in K 0

J 0 (ct0 , x0 ) = (c 0 (ct0 , x0 ), J0 (ct0 , x0 )) =

q0 c(0 )
,0
0

In K:. To transform the four-current and coordinates, we use the coordinate-free form of the Lorentz
transformation (inverse of Eq. 11.19 of Jackson),
x0

(x00 + x0 )
1
x0 + x00 +
( x0 )
2

Thus,
c(ct, x)
J(ct, x)

q0 c(0 [ct, x])

q0 c()
=
0
[ct, x]

q
v()
0

= c 0 (ct0 [ct, x] , x0 [ct, x]) = z

= c 0 (ct0 [ct, x] , x0 [ct, x]) =

and the current 4-vector in K is

J (ct, x) = J () =

q0 c() q0 v()

,z

q0 ()
v)
(c, z

Note the considerable simplification of the present problem arising from the fact that the transverse coordinates in K and K 0 are the same. Also, note that the 4-current in K looks just like what one would obtain
from a Galilean transformation, except the additional factor in the charge and current density. This factor
is due to the non-Galilean effect of the length contraction of the wire. Due to charge conservation, the
length-contracted wire in K has a charge density that is larger than the proper charge density by (i.e. the
inverse of the length contraction factor).

c): Since the charge density in K is enhanced by the factor , take result from a) and multiply with ,
E() =
(In SI units, E() =

2q0

q0
.)
20

For the magnetic field, you may use symmetry and Amperes law in integral form with a circle of radius

and integration direction ,

I
B dl =
B()2

B()

B() =
B() =
(To convert to SI-units, replace

4
c

Z
4
J da
c
Z
q0 v()
4
[
z
z2d]
c =0

Z
Z
4q0 v
2q0 v
2q0 v
()d =
()d =
c
c
c
=0
=
2q0 v
c
2q
0 v

c
0 v
0 , yielding B() = q2
.)

2. Problem 11.14

10 Points

a): One Lorentz scalar is the contraction of the antisymmetric contravariant field tensor F , the matrix
form of which we denote Fu, with the covariant field tensor F , the matrix form of which we denote Fd:
F F

= F F = Trace(Fu Fd)

0 Ex Ey Ez
0
Ex
Ex
0
B
B
z
y

= Trace
Ey Bz
0
Bx Ey
Ez By Bx
0
Ez
= 2(B 2 E 2 )

Ex
0
Bz
By

Ey
Bz
0
Bx

Ez

By

Bx
0

Similarly, it is found that the contraction of the covariant field tensor F with the contravariant dual field
tensor DF , the matrix form of which we denote DF u, is

DF F

= DF F = Trace(DF u Fd)

0 Bx By Bz
Bx
0
Ez Ey

= Trace
By Ez
0
Ex
Bz
Ey Ex
0
= 4E B .

0
Ex

Ey
Ez

Ex
0
Bz
By

Ey
Bz
0
Bx

Ez

By

Bx
0

The contraction of the dual field tensor, which is also antisymmetric, with itself yields no new invariant,
because

DF DF

=
=

DF DF = Trace(DF u DF d)

0 Bx By Bz
0
Bx
Bx
0
E
E
z
y

Trace
By Ez
0
Ex By
Bz
Ey Ex
0
Bz

= 2(E 2 B 2 ) = F F

Bx
0
Ez
Ey

By
Ez
0
Ex

Bz

Ey

Ex
0

Also, F DF = 4E B = DF F . Horizontal permutations of indices dont yield new invariants,

because it is F F = F F , etc. Pairwise, matched vertical flips also dont yield new invariants,
because it is, for instance
F F = g g F F = F F = F F = F F

Expressions such as F F are garbage. Higher-order products, such as F F F will give results that
are at least cubic in the fields. Thus, the only independent Lorentz scalars quadratic in the fields are E 2 B 2
and E B.

b): Since E 2 B 2 is invariant, there exist no fields that are purely electric in one frame and purely magnetic
in another (with the trivial exception E = B = 0).
Assume fields E and B in some frame. Due to the invariants found in a), the conditions that the electric
field can be eliminated by a Lorentz transformation into another frame are
E<B

and E B = 0

The fields also need to be homogeneous. Explicit transformation equations are given by Eqs. 12.43f in
Jackson.

c): We form new scalar combinations with the field tensors of the auxiliary fields (see page 557 of Jackson).
Two independent combinations between auxiliary-field tensors are

G G

= G G = Trace(Gu Gd)

0 Dx Dy Dz
0
Dx
Dx
0
H
H
z
y

= Trace
Dy Hz
0
Hx Dy
Dz Hy Hx
0
Dz

Dx
0
Hz
Hy

Dz

Hy

Hx
0

Dy
Hz
0
Hx

= 2(H 2 D2 ) .

DG G

=
=
=

DG G = Trace(DGu Gd)

0 Hx Hy Hz
Hx
0
Dz Dy

Trace
Hy Dz
0
Dx
Hz
Dy Dx
0
4D H .

0
Dx

Dy
Dz

Dx
0
Hz
Hy

Dz

Hy

Hx
0

Dy
Hz
0
Hx

All other scalar, quadratic combinations between auxiliary-field tensors depend on those.

A complete set of independent invariants involving a fundamental-field and an auxiliary-field tensor are:

F G

=
=

F G = Trace(Fu Gd)

0 Ex Ey Ez
0
Ex
Dx
0
B
B
z
y

Trace
Ey Bz
0
Bx Dy
Ez By Bx
0
Dz

= 2(B H E D)

Dx
0
Hz
Hy

Dy
Hz
0
Hx

Dz

Hy

Hx
0

DF G

=
=
=

DF G = Trace(DFu Gd)

0 Bx By Bz
Bx
0
Ez Ey

Trace
By Ez
0
Ex
Bz
Ey Ex
0
2 (B D + E H)

0
Dx

Dy
Dz

Dx
0
Hz
Hy

Dy
Hz
0
Hx

Dz

Hy

Hx
0

3. Problem 11.18

10 Points

a): In the rest frame of the decaying particle with initial (rest) mass M , the total relativistic momentum
P = 0 and the relativistic energy E = M (we set c = 1). Both are conserved in the decay process.
Thus, after the decay and in the rest frame, the particles have energy-momentum 4-vectors (E1 , p1 ) and
(E2 , p2 ) = (M E1 , p1 ). Equating the corresponding Lorentz invariants and using Ei2 = m2i + p2i , i = 1, 2,
and using p21 = p22 , we find

E22 p22

= (M E1 )2 p21

E22

= M 2 2M E1 + E12

m22 + p22

= M 2 2M E1 + m21 + p21

m22

= M 2 2M E1 + m21
M 2 + m21 m22
=
2M

E1
Also,
E12 p21

= (M E2 )2 p22

m21 + p21

= M 2 2M E2 + m22 + p22
M 2 + m22 m21
=
2M

E2

Note that conservation of relativistic energy and relativistic momentum in the decay process is sufficient to
obtain this result (i.e. the first lines in the above proofs can be skipped).
b): To prove this, in the following we define j to be the opposite of i (j = 2 when i = 1, for instance) and
use the result of a),

mi
M m1 m2
(M m1 m2 ) 1

=
M
2M

2M 2mi M + m1 + m2
(M m1 m2 )
2M
(M m1 m2 )(M mi + mj )
2M
(M mi mj )(M mi + mj )
2M
(M 2 + m2i m2j ) 2M mi
2M
Ei mi

Ti

=
=
=
by a)

q.e.d.

c): Say 1 is the -meson and 2 the neutrino. Use a) to find E1 = 109.8M eV . Then,
T1 = E1 M1 = 4.1M eV
Then, due to energy conservation
T2 = E E1 M2 = E E1 = 29.8M eV

4. Problem 11.19

10 Points

a): For a particle moving along the z-axis, equations 11.152 of Jackson are equivalent to

q(vt z)
q

zp
+ r p
3
2 + 2 (vt z)2
2 + 2 (vt z)2 3
r
r
q
r p
z
2 + 2 (vt z)2 3
r

E(ct, x, y, z) =
B(ct, x, y, z) =

where r = (x, y, 0). To see the equivalence, perform a suitable translation and a rotation about the z-axis
to get back to Eqns. 11.152.
To obtain the limit , we first consider the electric field. Considering the denominator, wee see that the
field generally only is appreciable if |vt z| is of order r / or less. Thus, in the limit non-zero fields
only exist if |vt z| r . Thus, in the limit the z-component of the electric field is negligible.
Next, we observe that
(

2
r

+ 2 (vt z)2

3
r
1
2 (vtz)3

,
,

vt z = 0
vt z =
6 0

in the limit

Further, at fixed time the integral over z is

Z

z=

2
r

2 (vt

z)2

3 dz

1
p
3 dy = r 2
2
2
2

r + z

"

z
p
2 + 2z2
r

#
=

2
2
r

This result can, of course, also obtained by considering a fixed position and integrating over ct. Thus, in the
limit it is

2
= 2 (ct z)
p
3
2 + 2 (vt z)2
r
r
and therefore

E(ct, x, y, z) =
B(ct, x, y, z) =

2q
2 (ct z)
r
2q
r 2 (ct z)
z
r
r

q.e.d.

b): E = 4: For the above E, it is

2q

y
E = r 2 (ct z) = 2q(ct z)
+
=0
r
x x2 + y 2
y x2 + y 2

unless r = 0 and z = ct. Thus, E is of the form

E = 4f 2 (r )(ct z)
with a constant f that we can determine by integrating this equation over an infinitesimal spherical volume
centered around the particle location (0, 0, ct):
Z

Z
E dx dy d(ct z) =
4f 2 (r )(ct z) dx dy d(ct z)
I
E da = 4f

Since the field is localized to the plane ct = z, the area integral only yields contributions from a thin
azimuthal band in the ct = z plane. We can therefore write the area integral in the form
Z

r
ctz=

=0

2q
2 (ct z) r d(ct z) d
r
q

= 4f
= f

There, is an infinitesimal length. Thus, from the given field alone we have derived that
E = 4q 2 (r )(ct z)
By Gausss law, it must also be E = 4. Thus, the charge density for the given field is (x) =
q 2 (r )(ct z). The zero-th component of the four-current producing the field given in part a) must
therefore be
J 0 = cq 2 (r )(ct z) .
This is in agreement with the 0-component of the current specified in the problem.
B = 0: The validity can be verified explicitly for locations x 6= (0, 0, ct). It is then concluded that
B = 4g 2 (r )(ct z). The constant g is determined via a small volume integral,
Z

Z
B dx dy d(ct z) =
I
B da =

4g 2 (r )(ct z) dx dy d(ct z)
4g

Since the B-field is also localized to the plane ct = z, the area integral is, with an infinitesimal ,
I

B da =
ctz=

2q (ct z) r d(ct z) d = 0
(r )
2
r
=0

Thus, it is g = 0, and it is, as required, B = 0

consistent with Gausss law for B.
B

ct E

4
c J:

By direct calculation using the given fields, it is found that

B=x

where 0 (ct z) =

everywhere. We conclude that the B-field given in a) is

y 0
x 0

2 (ct z) + y r 2 (ct z) + z(ct z) 0

r

d
dx (x)|x=ctz .

Also, it is found that

x
y

2 0 (ct z) + y
2 0 (ct z)
E=x
ct
r
r
so that B

ct E

= 0, unless r = 0 and z = ct. Thus, B

ct E

must be of the form

E = h 2 (r )(ct z)
ct

with a vector constant h to be determined. We note that due to the cylindrical symmetry of the fields on
the left side of the equation, the right side must have cylindrical symmetry as well. We conclude that h can
only point in the z-direction, and thus

h 2 (r )(ct z)
E=z
ct

(1)

with a scalar constant h to be determined. To find h, we consider the area integral of Eq. 1 over a small disk
centered around the location (0, 0, ct) with area vector in the +
z-direction. Using Stokess theorem, the left
side yields, with the given electric and magnetic fields,
Z

( B
E) da =
c t

Z
B dl

E (
zda) = 4q(ct z)
c t

(The Stokes loop is in the +-direction).

The area integral of the right side of Eq. 1 yields,
Z
h 2 (r )(ct z) z
da = h(ct z)
z
Comparing the last two equations, we see h = 4q, and therefore
B

4q 2 (r )(ct z)
E=z
ct

Note that this result is obtained solely from the given fields. By Maxwell-Amperes law, it must in addition

E = 4
be B ct
c J. By comparison we see that the current density must be

qc 2 (r )(ct z) .
J=z
This is in agreement with the spatial components of the current specified in the problem.

E + ct
B = 0: For locations x 6= (0, 0, ct), validity of Faradays law can be shown by direct calculation.
To verify consistency at the particle location, consider the area integral of the field-side of Faradays law
over a small disk centered around the location (0, 0, ct) with area vector in the +
z-direction. Using Stokess
theorem, from the given electric and magnetic fields it is, finally and thankfully, found that

Z
E dl +

B (
zda) = 0
c t

Combining the above results, the four-current J that is consistent with the given fields and with Maxwells
equations is
) , q.e.d.
J (c, J) = (J 0 , J) = qc 2 (r )(ct z)(1, v

c): To derive the fields from the potentials, use

B=A

and

E=

A A0
c t

or, equivalently,

F = A A = (

, ) (A0 , A)
c t

and

For A = 2q(ct z) ln(r )(1, 0, 0, 1) = 2q(ct z) ln(

0
Ex
=
Ey
Ez

Ex
0
Bz
By

Ey
Bz
0
Bx

x2 + y 2 )(1, 0, 0, 1) we find

x
ln( x2 + y 2 ) = 2q(ct z) 2
x
r
p

y
= 2q(ct z)
ln( x2 + y 2 ) = 2q(ct z) 2
y
r

= 2q ln( x2 + y 2 )
+
(ct z) = 0
z
c t
p

y
ln( x2 + y 2 ) = 2q(ct z) 2
= 2q(ct z)
y
r
p

x
ln( x2 + y 2 ) = 2q(ct z) 2
= 2q(ct z)
x
r

Ex

1 A0 0 A1 = 2q(ct z)

Ey

2 A0 0 A2

Ez

3 A0 0 A3

Bx

3 A2 2 A3

By

1 A3 3 A1

Bz

2 A1 1 A2 = 0

Ez
By

Bx
0

which agrees with the fields specified in part a).

y
x
For A = 2q(ct z)(0, ln(r )) = 2q(ct z)(0, rx2 , ry2 , 0) = 2q(ct z)(0, x2 +y
2 , x2 +y 2 , 0) we

find

x
x
(ct z) = 2q(ct z) 2
2
r c t
r

y
y
(ct z) = 2q(ct z) 2
2 A0 0 A2 = 2q 2
r c t
r
1 A0 0 A1 = 2q

Ex

Ey

Ez

3 A0 0 A3 = 0

Bx

3 A2 2 A3 = 2q

By

Bz

y
y
2 z (ct z) = 2q(ct z) r 2
r

x
x
1 3
3 1
A A = 2q 2
(ct z) = 2q(ct z) 2
r z
r

y
2 A1 1 A2 = 2q(ct z)

=0
y x2 + y 2
x x2 + y 2

which also agrees with the fields specified in part a).

The two gauges must necessarily be related via a gauge transformation. To show this, we find the scalar
function that effects the gauge transformation

A (x) = A (x) (x)

A00 (ct, x)
A0 (ct, x)

A00 (ct, x) c t (ct, x)

A(ct, x) + (ct, x)

In the given case, it must thus be

c t (ct, x)

(ct, x)

A0 A00
A0 A

= 2q

(ct z) ln(r )
(ct z) rx2

(ct z) ry2

(ct z) ln(r )

From the first (time) line we may guess that = 2q(ctz) ln(r ), and then verify that this also satisfies
the three spatial equations. Thus, the gauge transformation is effected by the function
= 2q(ct z) ln(r ) .